Missouri
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Missouri
Missouri sits where the Plains, the Ozarks and the Mississippi valley meet, and it receives the severe weather of all three. Its oak-hickory forest is also aging, and red oaks on dry Ozark ridges have been dying in large numbers.
Joplin, Springfield and St. Louis
The Joplin tornado of May 22, 2011 was the deadliest in the United States in decades. Along its path through the city almost no tree was left with bark or branches, and replanting became part of the recovery plan.
Springfield's defining event was ice. In January 2007 freezing rain fell for three days, and by the end most of the city's large trees had lost major limbs or split apart. Cleanup of the brush took months.
St. Louis has been hit by wind from both directions: a derecho in July 2006 that caused what was then the utility's largest outage, and a strong tornado on May 16, 2025 that crossed the city's central and northern neighborhoods and felled thousands of trees in Forest Park alone.
Recognizing oak decline in Missouri
Red, black and scarlet oaks on shallow, rocky soils reach old age at 70 to 90 years. Drought pushes them over the edge.
Dieback from the top and the branch tips inward
Progressing over two to five years, not all at once.
Honey-colored mushrooms at the base in autumn
Armillaria root rot feeding on a weakened root system.
D-shaped or oval borer holes with dark staining
Two-lined chestnut borer or red oak borer.
Patches of bark peeling to expose a crusty surface
Hypoxylon canker. The tree is in its last stage.
Missouri tree work by region
| Region | Setting | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis area | Dense older neighborhoods with pin oak, sweetgum and sycamore | Large removals over houses and alleys. Dead ash. |
| Kansas City area | Pin oak and silver maple suburbs | Ice and wind breakage, street tree questions |
| Ozarks | Wooded lots on rocky slopes | Dead red oaks near homes and cabins, limited truck access |
| Northern plains and Bootheel | Farmsteads and small towns | Windbreak and yard tree storm damage, long travel distances |
State and city rules in Missouri
Missouri does not license arborists and has no statewide permit for tree removal on private land. The Missouri Department of Conservation offers advice and community forestry grants but does not regulate yard trees.
Cities regulate the public strip. In St. Louis the Forestry Division maintains street trees and removes hazardous ones. In Kansas City, trees in the right-of-way are under the city forester, and a permit is required to prune, remove or plant there.
A number of St. Louis County municipalities have their own tree ordinances, some of which require a permit to remove large trees on private residential lots. Because there are dozens of small municipalities, the only reliable approach is to call your own city hall before removing a healthy tree.
Other Missouri tree threats
- Emerald ash borer
- First found in 2008 near Lake Wappapello and now in most counties.
- Oak wilt
- Present statewide. Avoid pruning oaks from mid-March through June.
- Bur oak blight and rapid white oak mortality
- Under study by state foresters after clusters of deaths in recent years.
- Thousand cankers disease
- Not established in Missouri. A state quarantine restricts bringing in walnut wood from affected states to protect the black walnut industry.
Ice or wind damage: repair or remove
Repair with pruning
- Broken branches are smaller than about four inches
- The main trunk and leader are whole
- Less than a third of the crown was lost
- The species compartmentalizes decay well, such as oak
Remove
- The trunk is split below the first fork
- The tree lost its leader and most scaffold limbs
- It is a silver maple, Bradford pear or Siberian elm with repeated failures
- Roots heaved on one side
When in doubt, pay for an inspection before deciding. The guide to saving a storm-damaged tree lists what an arborist looks at.
Missouri tree service questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Missouri?
The state does not require one. City and municipal rules vary widely, especially in St. Louis County. Street trees almost always need city approval.
Why are the oaks dying on my Ozark property?
Most likely oak decline: old red-group oaks on thin soil, stressed by drought and then attacked by borers and root rot. Remove dead trees within reach of buildings. Those farther away can be left for wildlife.
When should oaks be pruned in Missouri?
In winter. Avoid mid-March through June, when the risk of spreading oak wilt is highest.
How long does tornado tree cleanup take?
Trees on structures are cleared first, usually within days. Full cleanup of a neighborhood, including stumps and hanging limbs, takes weeks to months depending on how many crews are available.
Tree service in Missouri, by phone
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